BALTIMORE – The second-seeded Dickinson baseball team knew the task would be a stiff one on Monday night as they needed to take-down the host and top-seeded Johns Hopkins University two straight times to earn their first-ever Centennial Conference title. Unfortunately, for the Red and White the Blue Jays used four home runs, including three in the first inning to build a lead they would never relinquish toppling the Devils 15-10 at Babb Field.
Records: Johns Hopkins – 32-9 | Dickinson – 28-12
Time of Game: 3:30
Pitching Decision: W – Matt Savedoff (3-3) | L –
Ben Myers (2-4) Â
Inside the Game
Dickinson collected a two-out single from
Ryan Thompson in the top of the first off of Matt Savedoff, but a flyout to center by
Matt Torres let things go no further. Unfortunately for Devils starter
Ben Myers, leadoff batter Dylan Whitney greeted him quite rudely with a solo shot to left-center. Following a walk to Alex Shane, Shawn Steuerer left the yard as well to make it 3-0 still with no outs. The Jays continued to do damage with the long ball when with one down Caleb Cyr homer to right, which chased Myers from the game and brought on
Charlie Bien. He would get a strikeout and lineout to retire the side. Just as they have done all season the Red and White had an answer as back to back singles for
Kaden Sigmon and
Josh Markley set the stage for a three-run rocket to right for
Johnny Bruno cut the deficit to one (4-3). Two more singles and a walk filled the bags with two out, but Torres flew out to center stalling the rally. Bien allowed a couple of baserunners in the home-half of the second, but was able to get Dillion Souvignier to flyout to left for the final out. The Blue Jays would add onto their lead during the bottom of the third as a single and hit batter led to RBI knocks for Matthew Cooper and Jimmy Stevens to make it 6-3 with one out and two in scoring position. That ended the day for Bien as
Brian Riley entered the game and allowed both men to cross on a two-run double for Whitney (8-3). He then recorded a popout and flyout for the final two outs. Dickinson was able to pull one back in the top of the fourth as a double for Tagliareni and free pass to
Ryan Thompson had two on, before a low throw from the shortstop let Tagliareni cross to trim it down to 8-4 heading to the home-half. Hopkins would extend their advantage using a walk and a single to set the stage for a three-run bomb off the stick of Cooper stretching it to 11-4 through four.
With one down in the fifth Bruno was hit by a pitch, Kim walked and Gartland singled to load the pillows for Tagliareni. He stepped into the box and produced a sacrifice fly to left plating one. However, during the home-half two singles and a fielder's choice had runners on the corners for Souvignier. He would came to bat against new pitcher Mateo George and go down watching strike three. That brought Cyr to the dish and during his at-bat a double steal resulted in one crossing home to push the advantage to 12-5 after five. The Blue Jays attempted to add-on an inning later as a pair of hit batters had two on with two away. However,
Ethan Hamilton was summoned from the pen and got Steuerer to flyout. Dickinson continued to try and battle as hard as they could as Markley was hit and Bruno walked against Drew Grumbles. Cole Jefferson then entered the game and retired the next three hitters to end the threat. Hopkins would use a single and sac fly in the bottom-half to open the lead to 15-5 through seven. The Red and White pulled two back during the top of the eighth when Posencheg reach on an error, prior to Torres blasting a two-run homer out to left-center bringing it down to 15-7. A quiet home-half of the eighth for Hamilton brought on "last call" for Dickinson and it would not be a silent one as an error let
Chase Weller reach and back-to-back singles for Gartland and Tagliareni gave the Devils a lifeline with one down. Posencheg then stepped in and deposited a bases-clearing double that hugged the right-field line making it 15-10. Unfortunately, a strikeout of Thompson and flyout by Torres on the warning track ended the game. Â Â
Devils Mound Report
Myers got the start and allowed three hits and four runs over just a third of an inning. Bien went the next two frames giving up four runs on four hits with a strikeout. Both Riley and George lasted 1.2 innings combining to let up six runs over six hits to go along with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. Hamilton closed down the game with 2.1 frames allowing one run on one hit with a strikeout.
The On-Deck Circle
Dickinson (28-12) will now have to wait until next Monday at noon to see if they have done enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament as an at-large selection.
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